Is the Audi This autumn E-Tron too small on your wants, whereas the Q8 E-Tron is simply too huge? Effectively, look no additional than the 2025 Q6 E-Tron, the newest electrical Audi crossover designed to separate the distinction between its bigger and smaller siblings. That’s not precisely essentially the most thrilling introduction, but it surely’s true, and it’s additionally precisely how Audi pitched the Q6 E-Tron to us in its presentation.
Make all of the “identical sausage, completely different lengths” jokes you need, but it surely’s a wise, pragmatic method to filling out the lineup. Particularly since, if we’re going to run with the previous cliche, I might argue the standard of the sausage is far more vital than the truth that you may get it in numerous sizes. Additionally, as the Q6 E-Tron is Audi’s first car to experience on the brand new Premium Platform Electrical structure collectively developed with Porsche for the Macan EV, it’s our first style of Audi’s reformulated recipe.
Whereas it didn’t wildly alter my understanding of what an electrical crossover may very well be and discombobulate my mind within the course of, the Q6 E-Tron did show to be a really competent, well-rounded luxurious crossover that ought to promote nicely when it arrives within the U.S. as a result of, on the finish of the day, it’s an Audi that simply so occurs to be electrical.
Full Disclosure: Audi needed me to drive the 2025 Q6 E-Tron so badly, it paid for my flight to Bilbao, Spain, offered a shuttle to the resort in Donostia-San Sebastian, put me up in a pleasant room and offered extra wine and Iberico ham that I might deal with. Audi additionally graciously allowed me to guide a later return flight in order that I might get pleasure from a number of days in Spain alone. It didn’t, nonetheless, pay for my resort keep after the press journey formally ended. That was all on me.
For many who aren’t acquainted, let’s get the fundamentals out of the way in which first. The Q6 E-Tron makes use of a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that makes 422 horsepower in day by day driving, however there’s a launch management mode that quickly offers you 456 hp. Weighing in at 5,269 kilos, it’ll hit 60 mph in a claimed 4.9 seconds. It additionally packs a 100-kWh battery, 94.4 kWh of which is usable, that gives an Audi-estimated vary of 307 miles.
If that’s not sufficient energy for you, and also you’re prepared to sacrifice some vary and a bit extra of your money, there’s additionally the SQ6 E-Tron, which makes 483 hp (or 509 hp with launch management). It’s slightly heavier, although, weighing in at 5,324 lbs, but it surely’ll hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It’s definitely faster, however that further acceleration additionally drops Audi’s estimated vary to 276 miles. In the actual world, the decrease vary most likely gained’t be a lot of a priority, however the folks do like to see vary figures that begin with a 3.
Seems to be-wise, the entrance finish is busy, however the Q6’s total design is sort of good-looking. The actual star of the present is the inside, although. It isn’t fairly as flashy as a few of its rivals, but it surely’s extremely snug, well-designed, and properly laid out. The controls have been simple to grasp, though I might have most well-liked a number of extra bodily buttons or knobs. The squared-off steering wheel may really feel odd at first, but it surely’s truly a really good factor to carry, and it contains one among my favourite options when driving in another country I’ve by no means visited earlier than — a pace limiter.
I don’t know the way many individuals within the U.S. will truly use the pace limiter, but it surely’s a type of options I completely love. Don’t wish to danger a rushing ticket, particularly in a spot the place you don’t communicate the language? Simply set your most allowed pace, and also you’re good to go. It’s particularly useful on roads the place the turns are too tight to securely use cruise management. Audi’s definitely not the one automaker to supply it, however I like it, I used it so much and I need extra folks to learn about it. Don’t fear, adaptive cruise management and all the opposite vital superior driver help programs are there, too, I simply didn’t get to make use of them fairly often as a result of a lot of the drive route came about on winding again roads or going by numerous Basque villages. The surroundings was completely beautiful, and Donostia is arguably essentially the most lovely place I’ve ever seen, although, so it’s arduous to be mad that Audi didn’t have us do a three-hour freeway drive.
So far as tech that individuals truly care about goes, the Q6 has a elaborate new digital structure that guarantees to be quicker and extra highly effective, in addition to Audi’s newest Android-based infotainment system. The driving force will get a crisp 11.9-inch OLED show and a 14.5-inch OLED middle touchscreen mixed in a single curved panel. If you happen to’re nervous that there should not sufficient screens, Audi will fortunately promote you a ten.9-inch LED passenger show that makes use of the magic of science to make itself invisible to the motive force, and it truly works fairly nicely. This was my first time having a passenger in a automobile with a passenger display screen, and I used to be shocked at how helpful he discovered it. It’ll even let the passenger watch movies whereas the automobile is in movement.
One other helpful piece of tech is the augmented actuality head-up show. Not solely does it have all of the options you’d count on from a contemporary HUD, but it surely additionally tasks navigation directions in entrance of you, which was, once more, very useful in an unfamiliar nation. It might be arduous to consider, however my Basque is definitely considerably worse than my Spanish.
Regardless of the U.S. model providing greater than 400 horsepower, the Q6 E-Tron that I drove didn’t truly really feel all that fast in common driving. A part of that, after all, comes all the way down to physics. In any case, 5,200 kilos is quite a lot of kilos to maneuver round. The far more vital half is that the European model we drove solely made 382 hp. The additional 40 hp would have been appreciated, however I’m additionally undecided that tells the entire story. I think the insulation and refinement that make the Q6 E-Tron such a calming, quiet automobile to drive additionally find yourself making it really feel slower than it’s. It’ll nonetheless rise up and go while you want it to, and the American model ought to really feel faster. I simply don’t need anybody to stroll into the supplier for a take a look at drive anticipating to be blown away by the acceleration. Supposedly, there’s an RSQ6 E-Tron coming that ought to scratch that itch.
One subject that I bumped into, and apparently a number of different journalists skilled as nicely, seems to be some form of bug within the native navigation system that will get triggered by a cellphone having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on within the background and randomly deletes your drive route. Audi promised it might be fastened by the point the Q6 E-Tron goes on sale within the U.S., however the first time it occurred, we have been on the mercy of no matter route the GPS selected for us as we tried to get again to the lunch location we’d simply left to have Audi repair it.
Sadly for my drive companion and me, there have been quite a lot of marked roads within the space that aren’t truly roads, which led to some sudden adventures and attainable trespassing. We did ultimately make it to the lunch cease so they may program the drive route again in, however not earlier than being instructed to drive up a sketchy two-track that had me grateful Spain doesn’t have America’s gun tradition. It wasn’t a very difficult street, however I nonetheless put the automobile in Off-Highway mode simply to make certain, and I can now let you know the Q6 E-Tron can drive up a grassy hill with no issues. That’s additionally most likely the utmost quantity of off-roading anybody’s ever going to do in one among these, however hey, no less than now .
So far as vary goes, primarily based on the numbers I noticed, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Q6 E-Tron ended up beating Audi’s estimate in real-world driving. Allegedly, the improved effectivity of the brand new electrical motors alone is sweet for an additional 25 miles of vary, and you may inform Audi’s labored arduous to verify it’s a usable day by day driver — only a common Audi crossover that you simply don’t need to put fuel into.
U.S. pricing has but to be introduced, however in Europe, the Q6 E-Tron begins at €74,700, whereas the SQ6 E-Tron begins at €93,800. Nevertheless that finally ends up shaking out on this facet of the Atlantic, it’s most likely protected to imagine the overwhelming majority of patrons can cost at house, so the one cause vary ought to ever be a problem is if you wish to go on a 500-plus-mile street journey. In that case, discovering working, obtainable chargers might be a a lot greater concern than how far it could go on the freeway with out charging. The excellent news is that Audi’s navigation system can plan a route for you with chargers alongside the way in which. It’s not essentially new know-how, but it surely’s good to not have to fret as a lot about discovering a close-by charger by yourself. Additionally, it could cost at as much as 270 kW, so if yow will discover a quick sufficient charger, you’ll be again in your manner very quickly. 135 miles in about 10 minutes actually isn’t dangerous, and you may cost from 10 to 80 % in a claimed 21 minutes.
At this level, you’ve most likely seen I haven’t actually mentioned a lot about dealing with. That’s largely as a result of it’s largely not the purpose of this automobile. Not each electrical crossover must be the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. I’d say it’s competent, and it didn’t really feel utterly unsuited for the tight, winding roads we spent a lot time on, however I additionally didn’t ever really feel the will to push it tougher. Particularly since, whereas the Q6 E-Tron is typical and even small by American SUV requirements, it’s fairly giant for European roads, and there’s nonetheless no strategy to get round its weight. I don’t even know the place I might have tried to get it to slip if I’d needed to within the first place.
As a luxurious automobile, although, the Audi Q6 E-Tron is superb. You simply get in and drive, and also you don’t have to essentially give it some thought. It places you comfortable even whereas coping with the stress of making an attempt to get un-lost in Spain. And that’s factor. I say let luxurious vehicles be luxurious vehicles. Not every little thing has to lap the Nürburgring in lower than eight minutes.
Audi says it expects deliveries to start within the fourth quarter of this 12 months “with further variants to observe in 2025.” Anticipate U.S. pricing to be introduced nearer to that point.
